1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to golf putters and more specifically to a golf putting indication device which allows a golfer to improve the accuracy of their putting swing.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
There are several devices in the prior art which help a golfer orient a putter face for striking a golf ball. U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,384 to Thackrey discloses a golf swing diagnostic apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,574 to Knox et al. discloses a putting target. U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,188 to Reimers discloses a putter alignment system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,393 to Molinaroi et al. discloses a golf club with laser system. However, none of these devices disclose a golf putting indication device which allows the golfer to practice swinging into a photocell.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a golf putting indication device which allows golfers of varying skill level to practice their golf putting swing.
The present invention provides a golf putting indication device which allows a golfer to improve their golf putting swing. The golf putting indication device includes a light emitting golf putter, a light sensing unit, and a display unit. The light emitting golf putter includes a light projecting device, at least one battery, and an on-off switch. The light projecting device is disposed in a putter head of the golf putter. The light beam of the light projecting device projects out of the putter head substantially perpendicular to a strike face of the putter head. The on-off switch is preferably disposed on a shaft of the golf putter below a handle.
The light sensing unit includes a power source, a photocell board, a photocell housing, a sense housing, and an on-off switch. The photocell housing preferably includes at least three tubular compartments disposed adjacent to each other. Preferably, the photocell housing includes three rows and five columns of tubular compartments. Preferably, the three rows of tubular compartments are identical in height. Preferably, six outside tubular compartments are identical in width and six inside tubular compartments are also identical in width. The tubular compartments prevent photocells from being falsely triggered by sunlight. The power source is preferably at least one battery. The at least one battery powers the photocells and the on-off switch controls electrical power supplied to the photocells. The at least one battery, photocell board, photocell housing and on-off switch are retained in the sense housing.
The display unit contains a plurality of light emitting devices. The number of light emitting devices corresponds to the number of photocells. Each photocell is electrically connected to the battery and to a single light emitting device. When one of the photocells is struck with a beam of light, the photocell""s respective light emitting device emits light.
The golf putting indication device is preferably used in the following manner. The on-off switches on the light emitting golf putter and the light sensing unit are turned on. The golfer aims the light beam projecting out of the strike face at one of the tubular compartments. The golfer practices swinging the light emitting golf putter such that the light beam only enters one of the tubular compartments. The golfer knows which tubular compartment is struck because its respective light emitting device emits light. If a light emitting device from another column of tubular compartments emits light during the swing, the golfer knows that their swing was not straight.
These and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.